Friede-Kloppenburg Kremlin yard recognized by Bullhook Blossoms

By Carrie Aageson of Bullhook Blossoms Garden Club

Once again we are headed west of Havre for this week's Yard of the Week. Congratulations to Brenda Friede and Scott Kloppenburg of Kremlin on their beautiful yard.

Brenda's love for gardening is a family affair. Raised on a farm south of Chinook, gardening became part of Brenda's life from childhood. Brenda's parents, Lynette and Glenn, grew everything on their farm, wheat, barley, hay, vegetables and flowers.

In 1998 her parents purchased Milam's floral and greenhouse just off Fifth Ave. in Havre. When not working at Gary & Leo's Fresh Foods, Brenda can often be found helping with floral arrangement or working in the greenhouse at Milam's. Her brother also is a significant contributor to the greenhouse.

Upon visiting Scott and Brenda's, one is first greeted by several large whisky barrels with cascading petunias. It is with these barrels that Brenda's garden began to take shape eight years ago. The variety of petunias, Bubblegum, are prolific and hardy and they are fairly frost resistant. This is one of the main reasons for selecting them. It takes a hard frost to take them out at the end of the summer. Enjoying the flowers as late into the fall as possible is one of Brenda's joys.

Brenda and Scott utilize mostly annual flowers. The colors and ability to try new combinations each year is part of what inspires them.

Inside the fence at Brenda and Scott's home one will find several different flower beds. Brenda becomes inspired by various items she comes across then begins creating around them. She has created several small vignettes in this defined space. The southeast corner of her yard began with an old door. She began framing round it with annuals, and it just grew from there. She looks to Scott to help her achieve her various visions.

Having worked most of his adult life for BNSF, Scott's skills in building has enabled him to construct multi-layered flower boxes as well as the large patio deck in their back yard. While their yard appeared to me to be complete, the two still have projects on the horizon, such as expanding the grass area and enlarging the deck. The couple also have a large vegetable garden on the north east corner of their yard that demands their attention.

When asked about the time demands of such a large yard, Brenda shared that the two of them adhere to a fairly regimented watering schedule. The smaller pots get watered daily, while the large whisky barrels get five gallons every thee days. It is paramount to the flowers flourishing and looking their best. She also enjoys the daily watering. It gives her time to relax and enjoy the ever-changing beauty of the flowers, often spending late into the Montana evenings with a hose.

Trial and error is the mantra that keeps these two seasonally moving toward their ultimate vision.

When asked what Brenda wants people to know most about her garden she replied, "I want people to share and enjoy what I enjoy so much. We love to entertain in our yard and I hope guests get the same joy from being there as I do."

She welcomes on-lookers to enter through the cedar gate and take in their work.